Several companies made major changes in their management in recent weeks. These changes generally reflect senior management adjustments following changes at the CEO level made earlier in the year and are part of the expected pattern of establishing management teams aligned with the new top leadership.
ProQuest made a number of management appointments in November 2011. These changes reflect the leadership team formed by Kurt Sanford, who replaced Marty Kahn as Chief Executive Officer of ProQuest in July 2011. Kahn continues involvement with ProQuest as vice-chair of its Board of Directors. Amid changes in other operating units, leadership of Serials Solutions remains steady with Michael Gersch continuing as Senior Vice President of ProQuest and General Manager of Serials Solutions. Jane Burke, though not named in an executive position, remains with the company working directly with Sanford on special projects throughout ProQuest. Kevin Sayer serves as President and General Manager of ebrary, the company he co-founded with Christopher Warnock in 1988, acquired by ProQuest in January 2011.
In our November 2011 issue we reported that Bill Davidson succeeded Matthew Hawkins as President and CEO of SirsiDynix. Hawkins has since become president of Vitera Healthcare Solutions, a recent acquisition of Vista Equity Partners. EnvisionWare announced the promotion of John Himes as Director of Sales and Library Business Development and the appointment of Cheryl Morgan as Director of Professional Services, joining the company from her previous position as Assistant director for Information Technology at the Forsyth County Public library in Georgia. Himes has been with the company since 2004. Mike Monk serves as CEO, a role he has held since September 2011 when Rob Walsh became CEO of Excalibur Solutions.
Following the major restructuring of Bibliotheca Group, Al Coalla has been appointed Director of Sales, replacing Lamar Jackson who has left the company. Coalla was previously held a similar position at EnvisionWare.
Follett, the giant of the K-12 schools arena promoted Tom Schenck to the position President and Chief Operating Officer of the of the newly formed Follett School and Library Group. Schenck's portfolio has steadily expanded. After joining Follett Software Company in 1989, he was appointed president in February 1998, succeeding company founder Charles R. (Chuck) Follett. In April 2010 his role expanded to the role of President of Follett Technology Solutions and International Group, overseeing Follett Software Company and Follett International.
At this time Schenck also joined the Executive Committee of Follett Corporation, the parent company. The current promotion expands his portfolio to include oversight to Follett Library Resources, Follett Educational Services, and BWI. This move reflects the longstanding stable management in place at Follett, with the company cultivating long tenures of leadership rather than the quicker turnover more typical of the industry.
